BATESVILLE, Arkansas — Long before most people had poured their first cup of coffee, Lyon College students were already brushing away layers of Arkansas soil, searching for clues left behind nearly five centuries ago.
Some mornings began at 5 a.m. to beat the relentless summer heat. By the end of the day, their trowels had uncovered pottery fragments, stone tools, animal bones and the remains of a burned Native American house, discoveries that offered new insight into life in the White River Valley during the mid-1500s.
For the students who participated in the Lyon College Archaeological Field School during the summer of 2025, the monthlong excavation was more than a class. It was an opportunity to experience archaeology as professionals do while contributing to research at one of Arkansas’ most significant archaeological sites.
“The Lyon College Archaeological Field School was created to provide students with the hands-on experience required for professional archaeology,” said Dr. Jason Kennedy, assistant professor of anthropology and co-director of the field school. “Unlike many research-focused field schools, our curriculum introduces students to all three phases of cultural resources management and prepares them for careers in the private sector.”
From June 2 through July 2, 2025, students divided their time between conducting surveys on the Lyon College campus and excavating at the archaeological site identified as 3IN1, a designation used to protect the site’s location. They learned how to survey land, excavate carefully by hand, document discoveries, map sites using GPS technology and drones, and analyze artifacts in the laboratory.
Rather than directing every step, Kennedy encouraged students to take ownership of the excavation while working alongside Dr. Juliet Morrow of the Arkansas Archaeological Survey and archaeological assistant Sarah Stuckey, gaining firsthand experience from professionals whose research has helped shape the understanding of Arkansas’ Native history.
“As an instructor, I tried to limit my active involvement in the excavation process, except when demonstrating specific techniques so that students could gain as much experience as possible,” he said.
The work focused on a 30-acre archaeological site preserving evidence of at least 8,000 years of human occupation. During the mid-16th century, archaeologists believe the settlement included more than 120 rectangular houses surrounding a central plaza, possibly enclosed by a wooden palisade. The community existed during the same era that Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto travelled through the Mississippi and Arkansas river valleys, making the site especially important to researchers studying Native societies at the time of early European contact.
Earlier geophysical surveys suggested buried structures lay beneath the surface. The students confirmed those mysterious underground signatures were, in fact, houses.
As excavation progressed, the team uncovered the remains of a burned wattle-and-daub structure, a house built with wooden framing coated in clay. When the building burned centuries ago, the fire hardened the clay walls, preserving them remarkably well.
Inside and around the structure, students recovered pottery fragments used in cooking and storage, chipped stone tools, ground stone tools used to process food and animal bones that revealed aspects of daily life. One of the season’s most significant discoveries came when students uncovered a piece of specular ochre, a naturally occurring iron-oxide pigment.
“For me, the most memorable moment from the field school was a find we made during our excavation,” said student Cade H. Cartwright of Locust Grove. “Zoe (Anderson) and I were working in Unit 3 when she found a piece of specular ochre. We had found some red ochre previously, but this specular ochre had a nice purple color and looked similar to modern makeup. We alerted Dr. Kennedy and the lead archaeologist on site, and they were very excited about the find. The excitement and uniqueness of the discovery made it unforgettable.”
Another highlight came during the final days of the excavation when Ava “Kat” Briscoe and her excavation partner, John-Keith Walling, uncovered a complete ground stone anvil, likely used alongside a larger stone to process corn or nuts. The everyday household tool offered archaeologists another glimpse into the lives of the people who once lived at 3IN1.
“The most memorable moment of field school was when me and my class partner, John-Keith, found a grinding stone near the end of our dig,” Briscoe said. “So far we had mostly found different rocks and part of a foundation of a house, but seeing proof of a household in the form of an everyday (and very large) item was a definite highlight.”
During the final days of the excavation, students also identified post molds outlining portions of the ancient structure.
“It is an unfortunate archaeological truth that you will always discover the most important materials during the final days of the excavation season,” Kennedy said, “to keep you daydreaming about next year.”
The discoveries also answered broader questions about the settlement. Artifacts show residents hunted deer and other animals, caught fish, processed agricultural crops and relied on practical pottery for preparing and storing food. Combined with previous research, the findings suggest 3IN1 may have been one of the largest and most influential Native communities in the Middle White River Basin.
“More work is needed to confirm this, but it looks like 3IN1 was a large community and possibly the primary site of a regional network of communities,” Kennedy said.
While the artifacts attracted attention, Kennedy believes the students themselves were the field school’s greatest success.
For Cartwright, the experience reinforced his career goals.
“Participating in the field school helped me better understand the archaeological field and learn methods and techniques used in modern archaeology,” he said. “It definitely influenced my career goals. I hope to become a maritime archaeologist, and after working at an archaeological site, the experience helped solidify that goal.”
Briscoe said the field school also helped define her future.
“I came into college knowing I wanted to major in anthropology and possibly go down the route of archaeology,” she said. “However, during my time at Lyon I heavily focused on biological anthropology. Participating in the field school solidified this path for me. It was an incredible and knowledgeable experience, as knowing how civilizations lived in the past and the stories behind them are an incredibly important part of history and how we, as people, are today.”
While the excavation strengthened her appreciation for archaeology, it also sparked an even greater interest in forensic anthropology.
“My love for forensics skyrocketed,” Briscoe said. “If it wasn’t for the field school and stepping out of my comfort zone, I wouldn’t have gone farther to complete my senior internship as deputy coroner in Independence County the year after. With this I’m hoping to further my education and get my master’s in forensic anthropology.”
She also credited Kennedy for helping shape her college experience.
“Shoutout to Dr. Kennedy for a great degree plan and an interesting four years as a student at Lyon!” she said.
The experience also gave her a much clearer understanding of archaeology as a profession.
“Branching out of the field of anthropology, I realized the true work that goes with being an archaeologist,” Anderson said. “Without this experience, I would not have known the job’s responsibilities. I am glad I was able to experience this opportunity because I learned so much about the history and techniques that come with being an archaeologist that I otherwise would have never known.”
Even a herd of escaped cattle wandered through the site after one day’s excavation, trampling protective tarps and leaving unmistakable hoofprints behind.
Yet the students kept digging.
One morning, they surprised Kennedy with an unusual request.
“I distinctly remember the moment when students asked if we could start work at 5 a.m. rather than 8 a.m. to beat the heat,” he said. “It is the first time in my more than a decade of instruction that any student has ever asked for an earlier class meeting time.”
The students’ enthusiasm extended beyond long days in the field. Lunch breaks became opportunities to discuss discoveries, compare notes, ask career questions and build friendships that Kennedy believes will last throughout their professional lives.
That spirit of collaboration left a lasting impression on Zoe Anderson, who said one of the most memorable parts of the field school wasn’t a single artifact, but the teamwork that made every discovery possible.
“The most memorable part of this experience was the teamwork we shared,” Anderson said. “In the field, each of us had different strengths, and by combining our skills and communicating with one another, we completed many tasks. By assigning specific jobs such as paperwork, sifting and digging, we made the most of our abilities.”
Another unforgettable day came when Quapaw Elder Bill Griffin visited the excavation with his family.
“In our classes we discuss the importance of consultation and collaboration with descendant communities,” Kennedy said. “Having Elder Griffin on site while we worked was an outstanding example to the students of the importance of the work we do in recovering the past and its meaning to those whose history we are preserving.”
For Kennedy, those moments of collaboration and mentorship were just as meaningful as the artifacts emerging from the soil.
The work also continued long after the excavation ended.
During the fall semester, students enrolled in Archaeological Artifact Analysis, where they washed, cataloged and studied the recovered materials as research continued into the people who once called 3IN1 house. The class allowed students to connect the painstaking work of excavation with the equally important process of interpreting the past through laboratory research.
The 2025 Lyon College Archaeological Field School brought together students and recent alumni committed to exploring Arkansas’ past while preparing for careers in archaeology. Participants included Zoe Anderson, Ava “Kat” Briscoe, Paul “Doug” Brown, ’25, Cade H. Cartwright, Morrigan Crist, ’24, David Hefner, Sadie “Spot” Martin, Owen Phillips, ’23, and John-Keith Walling, ’26.
Research at the site is only beginning.
Since the conclusion of the field school, archaeologists have expanded geophysical surveys and begun searching for possible evidence connected to the Hernando de Soto expedition. The Arkansas Archaeological Society plans to host its annual training program at the site in 2027, and Lyon College hopes to return with another archaeological field school in 2028.
Looking back, Kennedy remembers one sweltering morning when the team arrived shortly after sunrise.
“It was already 82 degrees with 97% humidity,” he recalled. “The students noticed the atmosphere but powered through and stayed strong throughout the day. I think that kind of resilience is what a course like this offers them that they cannot pick up in a classroom.”
The pottery, tools and remnants of ancient houses are helping archaeologists better understand Arkansas’ past. Just as importantly, the students who uncovered them left with practical skills, professional experience and a deeper appreciation for preserving the stories buried beneath their feet.
Sometimes the most important discoveries are not found only in the ground. They are found in the people learning how to uncover them.
About Lyon College
Lyon College, a private, liberal arts institution founded in 1872, is the oldest college in the state with its original charter. Ranked by US News & World Report as a 2025 “Best College,” Lyon currently enrolls 781 students from more than 33 states and 14 countries. Students can tailor their education, selecting from 32 majors, as well as pre-professional, individualized options and select graduate programs. Learn more at lyon.edu.
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